Maria R.
Yelp
My Book of Kells experience was amazing--but mostly because there were hardly any tourists there due to covid.
Ireland had opened up not long before I spent the night there for a layover. With approximately 4.5 hours to spend in town, I laid out my sightseeing goals in advance. The Book of Kells was definitely first priority because I belong to a calligraphy guild and this was one of the pieces so many of my guild members have either been to or desire to see with their own eyeballs.
Yes, the exhibit is small. Yes, if it were a regular day, I would feel irritated because it would've been too crowded. Yes, it seems a bit over priced for what it is. But the calligrapher in me who can never have enough nibs or walnut ink geeked out over reading about vellum, ink production, and writing instruments. Also, the fact that Ireland just opened up to tourism not long ago means this is the perfect time to visit. There were incredibly small numbers of people at every tourist attraction I visited.
It was amazing to see some of the poems that I had heard in class. One of my favorites was featured in one of my classes prior to practice and it's called Pangur Bán, about an Irish monk and his cat. (See photos)
The highlight of the exhibit is the Book itself, of course. The line was incredibly short compared to others' experiences. I waited about 8 minutes to see it. You can't take pictures of it but you can take pictures of any other part of the exhibit.
As I waited in line, I admired the way they set up the book. It's in a large glass box in a dark room with a single light on it. In my mind's eye, I imagined a scribe hunched over the vellum, with a single source of light, silently working away at an illuminated section. It's hard to fathom that this literal masterpiece survived over a thousand years.
If you don't care about the process of creating the book, or are not religious, or don't want to stand in a long line just to glance at a page in an old book for about 60 seconds before moving on, then you wouldn't like this exhibit. But if you're a lover of ancient workmanship and artistry, interested in the religious aspects and symbolism in the artwork, are a calligraphy nerd, or just an artist who admires the ingenuity displayed by immensely old dudes, then The Book of Kells is a must see.
Also included in the price is entry to the Long Library, so if libraries or Harry Potter is your thing, it's worth the cost of admission to see both.
